HONOR Launches HONOR 70, HONOR MagicBook 14 and HONOR Pad 8 at IFA 2022

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On the IFA convention stage for the first time since independence, HONOR CEO George Zhao introduces new HONOR devices to International markets

[Berlin, Germany – September, 2022] – Global technology brand HONOR today reaffirmed its commitment to international markets during its IFA keynote presentation, titled “Embracing the Connected Future.” Bolstering its innovative product portfolio, HONOR introduced three new products: HONOR 70, HONOR MagicBook 14 and HONOR Pad 8, the first HONOR tablet available outside of China. All three products are set to arrive in select European markets in the coming weeks.

Introducing HONOR 70 to Global Markets, a Vlogging Masterpiece

Designed for vlogging enthusiasts, the HONOR 70 is HONOR’s latest addition to its high-end N Series smartphone line up. The stylish device debuts with Solo Cut mode, which lets users easily produce vlogs that spotlight a specific person in a group through built-in Person Re-identification Technology. With Dual Video Streaming, HONOR 70 can record two videos simultaneously, with one featuring a single subject and the other capturing the full group.

Capturing high quality vlogs is easy with the HONOR 70, thanks to its powerful Dual Main Camera that comprises a 54MP IMX800 Super Sensing Main Camera with a large 1/1.49-inch IMX800 Sensor and a 50MP Ultra-Wide & Macro camera. The new smartphone is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 778G Plus 5G and supports GPU Turbo X and OS Turbo X, delivering smooth performance and a responsive experience across a range of heavy-duty tasks, including video editing for vloggers who are always on the move.

The HONOR 70 is the first HONOR N Series smartphone to run HONOR Magic UI 6.1 based on Android 12 and is available in a range of fashionable color options including Midnight Black, Crystal Silver and Emerald Green^[1].

In recognition of HONOR 70’s excellent user experience, the Expert Imaging and Sound Association (EISA) awarded the smartphone the EISA BEST BUY SMARTPHONE 2022-2023 award. EISA is an expert community comprising over 60 of the world's most respected consumer electronics magazines, websites and social media commentators from 29 countries.

The HONOR 70 will be available in select European markets from today for a starting price of 479.99 Euro or Php 31,548.38.

HONOR MagicBook 14, a Mobile Productivity Powerhouse

Featuring OS Turbo for the first time ever on an HONOR laptop, the all-new HONOR MagicBook 14 delivers significant upgrades in battery life and up to 20.8%^[2] better power efficiency compared to its predecessor. The laptop is powered by a 12^th Gen Intel® Core™ i5-12500H processor and is configurable with a NVIDIA® GeForce RTX™ 2050 dedicated graphics card^[3], offering blazing fast performance whether working in the office or gaming at home.

With a 75Wh battery, the HONOR MagicBook 14 provides up to 17 hours of battery life on standby, and supports fast charging to provide up to 3.5 hours of uptime when running productivity software after just 15 minutes of charging^[4]. Coming in a sleek yet elegant Space Gray colorway, the HONOR MagicBook 14 is slated to arrive in select European markets with pre-orders starting today, for just 4299 Malaysian Ringgit or Php 54,683.46.

Enabling Premium Audio-visual Experiences with HONOR Pad 8

The HONOR Pad 8 is an affordable all-round smart device catering to the productivity and entertainment needs of students and young professionals. The new HONOR tablet combines a 12-inch 2K HONOR FullView display featuring a screen-to-body ratio of 87%^[5] and support a resolution of 2000x1200^[6] pixels and 1 billion colors with eight built-in loudspeakers to deliver immersive multimedia experiences on the go. Running HONOR Magic UI 6.1 with Google Play Services, the HONOR Pad 8 packs a high capacity 7250 mAh^[7] battery for all-day connectivity, allowing users to stay connected at all times. Arriving in select European markets with pre-orders starting today, the HONOR Pad 8 comes in Blue Hour and will retail at 249.99 Euro or Php 16,431.13.

The launch of the tablet represents the completion of the brand’s global product portfolio; consumers in select Europe and international markets will soon have access to every HONOR smartphone and IoT product series, marking a new milestone for HONOR.

 

 

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[1] Color availability varies by region.

[2] Data from HONOR Labs. The test scenarios are daily work using Microsoft Office software, video calls, web browsing, online video playback, music playback, instant messaging, program development and design with default volume under the brightness of 250 nits at room temperature of 25°C. Data may vary due to individual differences in products, usage habits and environmental factors.

[3] Models with Intel® Iris X^e graphics are also available.

[4] Charging data comes from HONOR Labs. Tests were conducted with the in-box 135W HONOR SuperCharger connected to a device with 2% battery. Duration of office work is based on the PCMark Modern Office test. Actual experience may vary by model, usage, charging conditions and other factors.

[5] Data from HONOR Labs.

[6] The resolution measured as a standard rectangle; thus, the effective pixels are slightly less.

[7] Data from HONOR Labs. Rated battery capacity.

Reese Witherspoon produces inspiring tale “Where the Crawdads Sing”

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Besides being an Academy Award®-winning actress, Reese Witherspoon is now also a powerhouse producer heading Hello Sunshine, her billion-dollar production company, whose first feature film is Where the Crawdads Sing, based on Delia Owen’s best-selling mystery novel.

“I read the novel in one day. I just couldn’t put it down,” says Witherspoon. “I fell in love with Kya as a main character, as a little girl who’s growing up in a very rural area, shunned by society and trying to find a way to just save herself, just survive. The experiences she has with the two men in her life are both so touching but also terrifying. Delia Owens wrote this book with such authenticity, you could just tell she really grew up in this place.”

Where the Crawdads Sing tells the story of Kya, an abandoned girl who raised herself to adulthood in the dangerous marshlands of North Carolina. For years, rumors of the “Marsh Girl” haunted Barkley Cove, isolating the sharp and resilient Kya from her community. Drawn to two young men from town, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world; but when one of them is found dead, she is immediately cast by the community as the main suspect. As the case unfolds, the verdict as to what actually happened becomes increasingly unclear, threatening to reveal the many secrets that lay within the marsh.

A literary phenomenon, the book skyrocketed to the top of the bestseller lists when Witherspoon picked it for Reese’s Book Club – and its record-breaking run has lasted over 191 weeks. With over 12 million copies sold in total, it was the top-selling book of 2019 and 2020 and set a new record for the most weeks at #1 on the New York Times hardcover fiction bestsellers list.

“I remember when Reese first told me about this book,” says producer Lauren Neustadter, President, Film and Television at Hello Sunshine. “We loved Kya, we loved the world, we loved the story of her survival, against all odds. When we thought about it as a movie, there was so much that was so appealing. The backdrop is absolutely magnificent and the story is epic in scope. The marsh itself is incredibly cinematic. The lush greens and also the world that she lives in, the lagoon, the beach all of the settings are so incredibly beautiful and romantic. And then Kya herself is such an extraordinary character – an unconventional heroine and certainly the hero of her own story. To see this remarkable woman against such a beautiful backdrop felt inherently cinematic, and it felt perfect to bring to life on screen.”

“I don’t know where my book would be without Reese Witherspoon,” says Owens. “First it was her Book Club, then the Best Seller list, and now the movie. She’s done a lot for this book and for many, many authors.”

3000 Pictures presents in association with HarperCollins Publishers a Hello Sunshine production, Where the Crawdads Sing. Starring Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith, Harris Dickinson, Michael Hyatt, Sterling Macer, Jr., and David Strathairn. Directed by Olivia Newman. Produced by Reese Witherspoon and Lauren Neustadter. Screenplay by Lucy Alibar. Based upon the novel by Delia Owens. The executive producers are Rhonda Fehr and Betsy Danbury. The director of photography is Polly Morgan, ASC. The production designer is Sue Chan. The editor is Alan Edward Bell, ACE. The costume designer is Mirren Gordon-Crozier. The music is by Mychael Danna.

In cinemas across the Philippines starting September 14, Where the Crawdads Sing is distributed by Columbia Pictures, local office of Sony Pictures Releasing International. Connect with the hashtag #CrawdadsMovie.

Shopee partners with Cebu LGUs to help local MSMEs bring their businesses online

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Shopee Philippines Seller Coach Mik Baluyot, In Sweet J&J’s Jimmy Martinez, Ithra Jewelry shop owner Hilaire Labalan, Shopee Philippines Head of People Karen Perez, Mandaue City Vice Mayor’s office representative Trixie Mae Brigoli, and Cebu City Councilor Hon. Jaypee Labella at the Shopee University Roadshow in Cebu

Driven by its mission to make e-commerce for everyone, Shopee partners with local government units (LGUs) in Cebu to help micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the region for its second iteration of the Shopee University Roadshow and Shopee Kumustahan. These two events educated MSMEs on how to take their businesses online, and kickstart their venture into e-commerce.

Through its partnership with the cities of Mandaue, Cebu, Talisay, and Lapu-Lapu, Shopee aims to reach more Filipinos across the Philippines, and make the online selling and shopping experience easier, more convenient, and more seamless for everyone. As part of its efforts to push this objective forward, Shopee has also established more Shopee Xpress hubs within the region to expand its serviceable areas and provide local sellers with opportunities to reach more buyers nationwide.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines, said “We are grateful for our partnership with Mandaue City, Lapu-Lapu City, Talisay City, and Cebu City that has enabled us to reach even more MSMEs across the Philippines. Through more partnerships and hub expansions, we will continue to help digitize even more Cebuano MSMEs through more iterations of the Shopee University Roadshow and Shopee Kumustahan. We are committed to supporting local MSMEs as they bring their businesses online, wherever they may be.”

Shopee Philippines Seller Communications and Education Lead Mia Mendoza, Shopee Philippines Seller Coach Mik Baluyot, Ithra Jewelry shop owner Hilaire Labalan, and BigGrocer Food & Grocery shop owner Azela Jane Taladua at the Shopee Kumustahan event in Cebu

The Shopee University Roadshow is a masterclass that educates MSMEs nationwide on how to drive their businesses forward through e-commerce and onboard into Shopee. By equipping them with the right tools and knowledge, MSMEs learn how to generate more sales and grow their buyer base. To help sellers learn through mutual sharing of experiences, the Shopee Kumustahan engages Shopee sellers in a casual gathering for them to exchange personal insights, advice, and best practices. Through these seller-focused events, Shopee strengthens its commitment to support MSMEs and digitize all kinds of businesses in the most seamless way possible.

If you’re looking to grow your business online, Shopee invites you to start your online selling journey with them today. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

Minamahal Kita: The Art Of Filipino Love Songs (A Tribute To The 2022 National Artists) all set on September 15

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A crossover artist generally refers to an artist who has had substantial success in multiple genres of music. It’s been used particularly to refer to a handful who have marketed themselves as performers of the classical and pop repertoire.

One can make the argument, however, that most of them are simply pop artists who try to sing in a classically trained style.

Going by its definition, or at least by its generally agreed notion, a crossover artist must be someone who, let’s say, has professionally performed operatic roles or oratorio solos while concurrently rocking pop music establishments.

If we go by this definition, then Rogelio B. Peñaverde Jr. is a bonafide crossover artist par excellence.

Peñaverde is a homegrown Filipino who moved to the US to pursue a scholarship at the Manhattan School of Music in New York City for a Master’s Degree in Voice. After graduating, he carved a career in opera, sacred music and musical theater with critical acclaim.

The New York Times praised his “sweet sound” while Opera Magazine lauded him as an “incisive tenor”.

Some of his career highlights include the role of Ferrando from Cosi Fan Tutte (W. A. Mozart) with the Martina Arroyo Foundation, tenor solo in Missa Solemnis in C(L. Mozart) at the Saint Patrick’s Cathedral of New York, and the role of Basel in the Off-Broadway run of Figaro 90210 by Ragman Ventures.

He has also performed as a featured artist at the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Carnegie Hall, the Manhattan Center, and the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

When the pandemic hit in 2020 and wiped away all his engagements, Peñaverde rediscovered his passion and gift for songwriting. While it began as an outlet for anxiety, it became a serious creative endeavor as he churned one pop song after another.

By 2021 he was sitting on 12 compositions that he collectively called the Pearl Drive Project. When Covid restrictions eased, he debuted selections at Pete’s Candy Store in Brooklyn, an institution in New York’s independent music scene.

It was so well-received that the show was picked up by the iconic Mercury Lounge in New York City, a hallowed ground of pop music that has featured the likes of Lady Gaga, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran.

Performing as Ilustrado (his pop alter ego), Peñaverde became the first homegrown Filipino to play a full set of his compositions in this hall. He is scheduled for a repeat after the commercial release of 2 singles from the Pearl Drive Project this fall.

Catch the artistry of Rogelio B. Peñaverde Jr. as this consummate crossover musician visits home in a featured performance on September 15 (Thursday), 5:00 p.m. cocktail reception 6:30 p.m. show proper, at the Main Theater Lobby of the Cultural Center of the Philippines.

Entitled MINAMAHAL KITA: THE ART OF FILIPINO LOVE SONGS (A TRIBUTE TO THE 2022 NATIONAL ARTISTS), the show was conceptualized by Peñaverde and produced by the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines (FCCP) under the leadership of its current president, Martin Lopez.

It will also feature the following guest artists, most of whom are FCCP Scholars:

• Athena Macatangay (Soprano),
• Giuseppe Diestro (Cello)
• Kris Gonzales (Baritone)
• Lance Capitan (Guitar)
• Madeline Jane Banta (Piano)
• Myramae T. Meneses (Soprano)
• Nathan Gemina (Piano)

Directed by Manolet Garcia, the ensemble will be performing Filipino love songs from both the classical and contemporary repertoire.

The gala is part of Peñaverde’s advocacy to present quality performances of Philippine music here and abroad that educate as much as they entertain.

Proceeds will go towards funding the tuition or travel expenses of the 26 FCCP scholars studying in local and foreign schools.

For more information, or to buy tickets, please visit the Facebook page of the Friends for Cultural Concerns of the Philippines or call Angie Godoy at +63927-2292128.

Get Excited for POCO’s New All-In Fun M5 and M5s: While POCO M5 brings next-level mobile gaming and a smoother digital lifestyle, POCO M5s delivers endless fun with awesome audio-visual experiences

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POCO, a popular technology brand among the world's young techies, introduced two new smartphones of choice for entertainment-hungry users, who can now choose between the POCO M5 and POCO M5s all-in fun devices. The POCO M5 powerhouse is imagined for those that enjoy every day gaming, the POCO M5s offers an all-around entertainment experience perfectly balancing camera, audio-visual, and battery needs.

POCO never fails to pack outstanding experiences for their growing pool of young techies, but with amazing value in mind, and the POCO M5 and POCO M5s are no different. This spirit is best captured by Angus Ng, Head of Product Marketing at POCO Global, "Our POCO M5 and POCO M5s break the stereotype that a value phone can't support a brilliant gaming or audio-visual experience. It is a true testament to our team’s unwavering efforts to deliver the most exciting creations for tech enthusiasts at industry-leading price levels."

POCO M5: Game on with a flagship-level 6nm processor and a dynamic display

Powered by the advanced MediaTek Helio G99 chipset, the POCO M5 offers an incredibly smooth gaming experience. Built on a flagship-level 6nm manufacturing process, the powerful chipset includes an octa-core CPU, with two high-performance Cortex-A76 clocking up to 2.2GHz, along with an Arm Mali G57 GPU for advanced 3D graphics — an unprecedented full system for snappier gaming performance in a value phone. The Game Turbo 5.0 intelligently controls and optimizes the CPU, GPU, and memory to support steady gameplay even in heavy-loading games. The system can judiciously recognize if you are in the middle of a game, and act so that a sudden message will not disconnect you by popping up a sub-window.

Coming with a 90Hz DynamicSwitch display, the POCO M5 can dynamically switch the display refresh rate. When playing games, it adapts to a very fast refresh rate for high-frame gaming titles, while it can switch to slow down for video playback. This saves power as well as ensures sustained and longer gameplay with maximized battery life.

With a 6.58-inch Full HD+ DotDrop display, the POCO M5 delivers vibrant color accuracy and crisp graphics. Along with its 240Hz touch sampling rate, the POCO M5 speeds up the overall experience and helps significantly in fast-paced games with quicker touch response. The POCO M5 also comes with practical features like Sunlight display, which allows you to carry on outdoors, and enjoy your game comfortably in the park or by the pool.

Beyond gameplay, POCO M5 is also perfect for those who want to live life to the fullest and capture its most memorable moments. It is fitted with a triple-back camera array comprised of a 50MP main camera, a 2MP depth sensor for real-time depth detection, and a 2MP macro camera for incredible close-ups. Whether you want to capture the excitement of sea surfing or take the perfect close-up of street artwork, the POCO M5 will not let you down.

To top it all up, the POCO M5’s high-capacity 5,000mAh battery with 18W fast charging won’t leave you hanging [1]. There’s no need for low-battery anxiety throughout the day, as you play your favorite game on the go while handling all your everyday tasks too.

POCO M5s: The powerful entertainment hub to embrace magic fun

When it comes to capturing photo and video content, the POCO M5s' quad rear camera system can record stunning 4K videos at 30 frames per second, for catching unexpected street sports moments. It includes a 64MP primary camera, and an 8MP ultra-wide angle camera to capture beautiful city skyline shots, or mountain scenery if you enjoy nature. It also has two 2MP sensors for depth detection or taking detailed close-ups of watercolor to embrace your inner artist. A 13MP front camera tops it all up for great selfies and sharp video chat quality with friends and family.

What’s more, you have your creative studio, with a host of intelligent and user-friendly photography and film-making features to express yourself. For example, you can take great photos at night, capture stunning portraits with a bokeh effect, and produce professional time-lapse or slow-motion videos with the help of AI.

POCO M5s come with an impressive 6.43-inch Full HD+ AMOLED DotDisplay to watch sports, show videos to your friends or play music. Paired with dual speakers, it was engineered to provide a fully immersive audio-visual experience, amping up the fun of playing your favorite artist’s new music video release or getting lost in a cyberpunk sci-fi movie. In the meantime, let yourself be amazed by the POCO M5s’ smooth visuals and excellent color performance. It even packs premium features to enhance user comfort, like DC Dimming and 360° ambient light sensors to adjust the screen brightness so you can enjoy an entire live stream without eye strain.

Equipped with a MediaTek Helio G95 chipset, the POCO M5s has all the power you need to bring you the magic fun in the audio-visual world. The pairing of smooth graphics performance and efficiency enables immersive augmented reality, brilliant camera shooting, and seamless streaming experiences. It also sports a high-capacity 5,000mAh battery, providing up to 12 hours of uninterrupted immersive fun, or one and a half days of non-stop voice calls [2]. It could even last a month in standby mode if you wanted to [3]!

Product Availability

POCO M5 will come in three colors: Black, Green, and Yellow. In the Philippines, it will also be available in two variants: 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB. 4GB+64GB: Recommended retail price at Php 9,499 via official e-commerce channels.

6GB+128GB: Recommended retail price at Php 10,499 via official e-commerce channels.

POCO M5 will be available for purchase at an early bird price of Php 7,399 and Php 8,799 respectively from September 7 via Lazada.

POCO M5s will come in three colors: Grey, White, and Blue. It will also be available in three variants: 4GB+64GB and 6GB+128GB. 4GB+64GB: Recommended retail price at Php 9,999 via official e-commerce channels.

6GB+128GB: Recommended retail price at Php 10,899 via official e-commerce channels.

POCO M5 will be available for purchase at an early bird price of Php 8,599 and Php 9,999 respectively from September 7 via Shopee.